1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a cable winding conversion device that is designed to be placed between first and second cables that have first and second inner wires slidably mounted within first and second outer casings, respectively. More specifically, the present invention relates to a cable winding conversion device with different winders for the different inner wires with at least one of the inner wires being directed toward the rotation center of the winders.
2. Background Information
A cable known as a Bowden cable has an outer casing that allows the passage of an inner wire. This type of cable is widely used as an operation cable in bicycles, motorcycles, and cars. For this type of cable, a cable winding conversion device is often used between two cables in order to modify the travel of the inner wire of a second cable which is based on the travel of the inner wire of a first cable. The first cable is connected to a movement or control mechanism.
Conventional cable winding conversion devices have a base member, a first winder that is mounted to the base member to wind/unwind an inner wire of the first cable, and a second winder that pivots with the first winder to wind/unwind an inner wire of the second cable. In addition, the first and second winders have first and second cable winding grooves that guide the inner wires of the first and second cables around the peripheries of the first and second winders, respectively. These devices are configured so that at least a part of winding radius of the first and second cable winding grooves is different from each other. The base member typically includes first and second cable mounting parts that hold (lock) the outer casings of the first and second cables separately, respectively. The first and second cable mounting parts are placed in directions that meet the cable winding grooves.
In conventional cable winding conversion devices with this kind of configuration, the first winder pivots when the inner wire of the first cable is operated (moved) by the movement or control mechanism. The second winder pivots in response to this movement of the first winder, and the inner wire of the second cable moves. When this movement occurs, because at least parts of the winding radius of cable winding grooves of both winders differ, the movements of inner wires of the first and second cables are different.
Unexamined Japanese utility model specification No. S57-117738 discloses one example of a convention cable winding conversion device such as that explained above.
In view of the above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure that there exists a need for an improved cable winding conversion device. This invention addresses this need in the art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.